Penrith v Souths semi final

[age.s]

Pretty deflating watch, but you have to credit Souths. They were outstanding tonight and likely would have beaten anyone. Their middle hasn't been able to keep up with ours in recent meetings, but we were well beaten there tonight. They neutralised our biggest weapons, with To'o, Fish and (line break aside) Yeo all having quiet games by their standards. In combination with some dumb mistakes and penalties we simply didn't have the capacity to strangle them like we do most teams.

Crichton and Kikau looked dangerous at times, but they didn't get enough opportunity and the half chances we did create were well snuffed out by some excellent scramble. Cleary kicked well but was on the back foot for much of the game. On the plus side, our defence in our half held up well. Souths normally destroy teams when they win the middle like that, but we kept them to 2 tries which on most nights would be enough.

We're not done yet. We should have the measure of Parra/Newcastle and we were always going to have to beat the Storm. I still think we'd be favoured against whoever we'd come up against in the big one if we get that far. It might be a dash of copium, but I think this team might end up benefitting from the extra minutes more than the week off. The problem this year has been disruption, not fatigue, so an extra game might end up working out for us if the injury gods finally decide to f**k off for a month.

 

[snickers007]

Theres some absolute losers on this forum....

@Smug Panther


F@ck off idiot haha

This is pretty embarrassing man.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you've drunk more than your share. But even so, you're being a massive f**kwit to try and score internet points.

Reality is if people haven't ignored you for your 10000 word essays in every thread, they'll ignore you for this.

 

[chrisD]

All the Lets always be positive Panthers Fans;

Fish is the best prop in the game. LOL he wasn't even the 3rd or 4th on the field tonight. He is good - even great but he is not the best and he has been ordinary at the back end of this year.

Cleary is the best player in the game. Yeah LOL f**king went missing tonight. He still has problems with decision making and lack of creativity. He has no Plan B when things are going wrong - just like his old man as a coach. He still is the best halfback and probably 2nd best player in the league but people are talking him up as if he an Immortal certainty.

Gapewell - ordinary - just ordinary. The less I can say about him the better. Glad we didn't get in a bidding war for him.

TPJ - what a lazy merkin.

Burton - fantastic player but still has a bit of derpiness in his decision making.

Luai - ordinary since Origin. Had some good touches but well below his 2020 form.

Ivan Cleary the Super coach myth should be dead and buried. We cannot break down a committed defence to save our lives. Yeah we can comfortably beat shit teams - even good teams. But not Elite teams who are switched on.

No Plan B by the Cleary's - we just looked lost and worse - we looked stupid out there. How many times did we throw the ball away in the Bunnies 20 on the 2nd or 3rd tackle? So so dumb.

Yeah I haven't mentioned Staines yet - he had a forgettable night but I still think this is on IVAN. His chopping and changing of combinations close to and during the finals has been terrible!

We really missed Leota and Sorenson tonight. Eisenplod is not a Top 17 player in any decent team.

Finally - LOL at the Edwards fans. Critta played better than Edwards generally does. The only good thing about Edwards being back in would have been that we'd have Staines out.

You are very far removed from reality.

 

[WestyLife]

Still is

Funny we played horribly had plenty of momentum from the ref against us and still only went down by 6.

 

[Nealo 12]

Wow we lost a game move on

 

[chrisD]

Funny we played horribly had plenty of momentum from the ref against us and still only went down by 6.

And the biggest negative, we had to carry Staines.

 

[Girds89]

Honestly.........

Just wont to know why we lost?

 

[The Realist]

The problem this year has been disruption, not fatigue, so an extra game might end up working out for us if the injury gods finally decide to f**k off for a month.

I disagree with this bit here. Our forwards were puffing hard. I have never seen Fish that unfit in 4 years. He was blowing hard after 25 mins. I get that we are a 'family' club and all that but letting him go off for the birth of his son was a huge mistake. He is sorely lacking match fitness.

 

[Smug Panther]

Honestly.........

Just wont to know why we lost?

The pack lacked aggression was the main reason imo. If we meet again I'd start Spencer (if Leota is out)

 

[Smug Panther]

I disagree with this bit here. Our forwards were puffing hard. I have never seen Fish that unfit in 4 years. He was blowing hard after 25 mins. I get that we are a 'family' club and all that but letting him go off for the birth of his son was a huge mistake. He is sorely lacking match fitness.

Football means nothing compared to that. Is what it is

 

[TheRiff]

What is the alternative? They're long high kicks which allow the chase to get there anyway. It's not really any different to how he normally kicks for territory. In attacking range he took whatever kick he wanted, we scored a try off a grubber.

Kick to sideline every so often, Get a line set to belt them as they bring it back. Did we kick it the grass once? Even if it was the usual they weren't the normal swirling ones. Were just too easy

 

[The Realist]

Wow we lost a game move on

This isn't the regular season mate - it is finals time, time to be engaged, switched on, prepared and ready.

We weren't.

 

[CCJohnC]

We really missed Leota and Sorenson tonight.

My thoughts exactly and To'o was well held. There is of course next week.

 

[Smug Panther]

The first set was f**king bizzare. Luai's little pop gun kick from our 30m on the 3rd....wtf was that?

 

[Fangs]

Don't bother with 321's. I've got the score:

Bennett 1
Cleary 0

He got an absolute bath tonight. What a load of crap in the presser. Absolutely schooled from a guy who has done it better than him for years.

 

[TheRiff]

All the Lets always be positive Panthers Fans;

Fish is the best prop in the game. LOL he wasn't even the 3rd or 4th on the field tonight. He is good - even great but he is not the best and he has been ordinary at the back end of this year.

Cleary is the best player in the game. Yeah LOL f**king went missing tonight. He still has problems with decision making and lack of creativity. He has no Plan B when things are going wrong - just like his old man as a coach. He still is the best halfback and probably 2nd best player in the league but people are talking him up as if he an Immortal certainty.

Gapewell - ordinary - just ordinary. The less I can say about him the better. Glad we didn't get in a bidding war for him.

TPJ - what a lazy merkin.

Burton - fantastic player but still has a bit of derpiness in his decision making.

Luai - ordinary since Origin. Had some good touches but well below his 2020 form.

Ivan Cleary the Super coach myth should be dead and buried. We cannot break down a committed defence to save our lives. Yeah we can comfortably beat shit teams - even good teams. But not Elite teams who are switched on.

No Plan B by the Cleary's - we just looked lost and worse - we looked stupid out there. How many times did we throw the ball away in the Bunnies 20 on the 2nd or 3rd tackle? So so dumb.

Yeah I haven't mentioned Staines yet - he had a forgettable night but I still think this is on IVAN. His chopping and changing of combinations close to and during the finals has been terrible!

We really missed Leota and Sorenson tonight. Eisenplod is not a Top 17 player in any decent team.

Finally - LOL at the Edwards fans. Critta played better than Edwards generally does. The only good thing about Edwards being back in would have been that we'd have Staines out.

The Cleary's in big games are why we will not win a comp,despite having a stacked side. The use of TPJ is shocking, get him on an edge steamrolling people again

 

[martielang]

The first set was f**king bizzare. Luai's little pop gun kick from our 30m on the 3rd....wtf was that?

The old Ivan trick shot…

 

[Fangs]

The first set was f**king bizzare. Luai's little pop gun kick from our 30m on the 3rd....wtf was that?

I mentioned it pre game as an 'idea'. I didn't realise Ivan would make it a pre meditated play. Ridiculous big brain stuff from Ivan.

 

[Smug Panther]

Don't bother with 321's. I've got the score:

Bennett 1
Cleary 0

He got an absolute bath tonight. What a load of crap in the presser. Absolutely schooled from a guy who has done it better than him for years.

He did some amazing work in the media this week. Crafty old merkin

 

[age.s]

I disagree with this bit here. Our forwards were puffing hard. I have never seen Fish that unfit in 4 years. He was blowing hard after 25 mins. I get that we are a 'family' club and all that but letting him go off for the birth of his son was a huge mistake. He is sorely lacking match fitness.

If Fish is sorely lacking match fitness, the last thing you want to give him is a week off.